The present invention relates to a distractor. Particular embodiments of the present invention relate to a surgical distractor for use in orthopaedic surgery to move apart bones within a joint. The present invention also relates to methods of using a surgical distractor.
During the lifetime of a patient, it may be necessary to perform a joint replacement procedure on the patient as a result of, for example, disease or trauma. The joint replacement procedure, or joint arthroplasty, may involve the use of a prosthesis which is implanted into one or more of the patient's bones. During a joint replacement procedure it may be necessary to assess the size of the natural gap between the bones of the joint, or to assess the size of a gap formed when portions of the bones within the joint are resected. Furthermore, it may be necessary to measure or assess the tension within soft tissue surrounding the joint for given sizes of gap created and maintained between the bones. Embodiments of the present invention relate to surgical instruments for generating and maintaining gaps between bones of a joint prior to the final implantation of the prosthetic joint.